Explosive slurries containing an inorganic oxidizer salt and particulate fibrous naturally wet pulpy plant matter



United States Patent l Powder Company, Allentown, Pa., a corporation ofNew York No Drawing. Filed July 25, 1966, SerQNo. 567,407 17 Claims.(Cl. 149-44 This invention relates to explosive slurries based onammonium nitrate and optionally an explosive sensitizer, withparticulate fibrous pulpy plant matter such as, for example, vegetablesand/ or fruit, as thickening agent and fuel, as well as a source ofsuspending liquid for the solid ingredients.

Explosive mixtures containing relatively large amounts of water or othersolids-suspending medium such as oil have recently become ofconsiderable interest in the explosives art. They have greaterversatility than dry mixtures, because they can be used under conditionswhere water or other liquids cannot be excluded. The liquid content ofthe mixture is more than that which is absorbed by the components of themixture, and is suflicient to act as a suspending agent for the mixture.Such a liquid content in most cases may range from about 7 to about 50%,depending upon the materials present in the mixture and upon theconsistency desired.

A slurry having a reasonably stiff consistency containing as little as10% liquid may be preferred for use in bulk in wet bore holes, where thecomposition may be diluted with water already present. Thickening orgelatinizing agents are employed when thick slurries are required,containing high proportions of liquid.

A problem in the formulation of slurried explosives has been themaintenance of a uniform mixture until detonation is effected. Slurriesare formulated using an explosive sensitizer and an oxidizer, and maycontain a metal and/ or a carbonaceous fuel in addition to thethickening agent and slurrying medium. These components are desirablyinsoluble in the slurrying medium, usually water. The explosivesensitizers generally used, for example, are waterand oil-insoluble.Fuel oil, which is frequently employed in explosive mixtures, is ofcourse water-immiscible. Both of these components tend to separate out,and this separation is avoided partly due to the fact that onlyrelatively small amounts are used, and partly due to the thickness ofthe slurry, which also aids in keeping the mixture uniform.

Fuels other than fuel oil that are more dispersible or compatible inaqueous slurries would be useful, but the available fuels have presentedadditional problems. It is more diflicult to slurry a solid than aliquid to form a suspension that can be kept a reasonably homogeneousmixture, and most other carbonaceous and metallic fuels are of coursesolids. Furthermore, in the absence of a sensitizing explosive,detonation becomes more diflicult, which limits thetypes of fuels thatcan be used ,to those that form detonatable mixtures with inorganicnitrate.

Oxygen balance is dependent, in part, upon the particular fuel used andin part upon the extent of homo-.

geneity of the slurry. Thus, it is essential that the fuel used becapable of being uniformly dispersed throughout the slurry so that areasonably homogeneous mixture and oxygen balance thereof can beobtained.

The instant invcntion furnishes explosive slurries based on ammoniumnitrate and a fuel, and optionally, an explosive sensitizer, employing afuel that is easily and homogeneously dispersible therein, and that hasa very slight if any, tendency to separate out, thereby forming uniformslurries that remain relativelyuniform on stor- 3,361,604 Patented Jan.2, 1968 age, and thereby facilitating maintenance of uniform oxygenbalance of such slurries.

In preparing explosive slurries it has become necessary to store, handleand work with many different materials. The greater the variety ofmaterials in a slurry, the greater the problem of maintaining uniformityand homogeneity. Consequently, it has become a desideratum in the fieldof explosives to reduce the number of materials and additives needed informulating explosive mixtures and thereby reduce the complexity inpreparing such mixtures to a minimum.

In accordance with the instant invention, explosive slurries areprovided based on particulate and preferably homogeneously disintegratedplant matter, including vegetables and fruit, as a combined thickeningagent and fuel, as well as a source of slurrying liquid. Thus, when suchmaterials are used in an explosive slurry, the number of differentmaterials needed in formulating the slurry is reduced, and consequentlythe preparation of the slurry is less complex. In addition, since theslurry is substantially homogeneous, it can easily be oxygenbalanced.Such materials may also increase sensitivity of the composition.

The fibrous pulpy plant matter contemplated for use in accordance withthe invention includes vegetables and fruit in any particulate form,such as, for example, peaches, potatoes, bananas, pears, plums,apricots, grapes, pineapples, apples, cherries, sugar beets, oranges,figs, dates, tomatoes, lemons, grapefruit, various berries, such as, forexample, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, variousbeans,-such as, chick beans, string beans, lima beans, wax beans, peas,cabbage, lettuce, squash, asparagus, rhubarb, caraway, cottonseed,sunflower seed, hops, pimentos, and the like. Furthermore, such plantmatter includes weeds of all types, whether used alone or withvegetables and fruit.

Accordingly, the instant invention provides a good way of utilizingplant matter which normally is discarded as waste. In fact, spoiledand/or fermented plant matter is especially useful in this invention, inthat the formation of alcohol and/or acetic and/or formic acids whichare formed in the spoilage process of the plant are good explosivesensitizers. Furthermore, plant matter that includes gums and mucilagescan also serve as a thickening agent.

The fibrous pulpy plant matter of the invention is to be distinguishedfrom the carbonaceous plant derivatives heretofore employed as fuels inexplosive compositions. The latter are dried particulate materials of anonpulpy nature, such as nut shell meals and like meals, Whereas thematerials of the invention contain virtually all of the originalcomponents of the whole vegetable or fruit, including the fibrousmaterial and the pulpy material, plus any plant juices and liquids,unaltered except as may occur by enzymatic or bacterial action in decayand de composition of the plant, and by subdividing or disintegratingthe plant into particulate form.

The term particulate is used to refer generally to subdivision of theplant material into particles. The term homogeneously disintegratedplant matter as used herein refers to whole vegetables and fruit,including, if desired, their seeds, stems, core, leaves, roots, flowersand pulp, in natural or fermented form, or hydrolyzed, oxidized, cooked,enzyme-treated or digested, and decomposed in any way. Many waste formsof these materials thus can be used, such as peelings, pulp, and mash.

The essential components of the explosive slurries of the invention, inaddition to the particulate plant matter which serves as a fuel andthickener, are an inorganic oxidizer and optionally, an explosivesensitizer.

Particulate plant matter can be used with conventional explosivesensitizers, oxidizing agents, suspending fluids,

,RDX, up to 40% fuels, antacids and thickening agents employed inpreparing explosive slurries. Depending upon the amount and type ofingredients present in the slurry, the plant matter can be employed inamounts within the range from about 0.1 to about 30% by Weight of theslurn'ed mixtures, depending upon the slurry viscosity desired, and theamount of fuel necessary for oxygen balance.

The oxidizing agent employed in the explosive slurry of this inventionshould be an inorganic oxidizer. Ammonium nitrate and nitrates of thealkali and alkaline earth metals, such as sodium nitrate, potassiumnitrate, calcium nitrate, magnesium nitrate, strontium nitrate andbarium nitrate, are exemplary inorganic nitrates. Mixtures of severalnitrates such as, for example, mixtures of so dium and ammoniumnitrates, also yield excellent results.

As the inorganic oxidizer there can also be used a chlorate or aperchlorate of an alkali or alkaline earth metal, such as sodiumchlorate, potassium chlorate, barium chlorate, sodium perchlorate,potassium perchlorate, barium perchlorate, and calcium perchlorate.Mixtures of nitrates, chlorates and perchlorates, of nitrates andchlorates, of nitrates and perchlorates, and of chlorates andperchlorates, can be used.

When mixtures of ammonium oxidizer and the other oxidizer are used, therelative proportion of ammonium oxidizer is important for good explosiveshock and power. The ammonium oxidizer is employed in a proportionwithin the range from about 50 to 95% by weight of the total oxidizer,and the otheroxidizer or oxidizers in the proportion of from about toabout 50% of the total oxidizer. For optimum power, the proportions arefrom 80 to 90% ammonium oxidizer, and from to-20% other oxidizer oroxidizers. The. proportions of oxidizers selected within these rangeswill depend upon the sensitivity and explosive effect desired, and thesein turn are dependent upon the particular oxidizer used.

The inorganic oxidizer can be fine, coarse, or a blend of fine andcoarse materials. Mill and prill inorganic oxidizers are quitesatisfactory. For best results, the inorganic oxidizers should befine-grained.

In addition to the oxidizers and plant matter, which serves as boththickening agent and fuel, as well as a source of slurrying liquid, theexplosive slurries in accordance with the instant invention can containother fuels, if desired, including metal fuels and carbonaceous fuels,and an amount of water or water and oil sufficient to give the mixturethe consistency desired, be it the consistency of a semi-solid materialor the consistency of a free-flowing slurry. As indicatedhereinbefore, asensitizing explosive can also be included, as an optional component.

The preferred sensitizing explosive is nitrostarch, but any sensitizingexplosive known to the art can be used, alone or in admixture. Knownsensitizing explosives which are useful include, for example,trinitrotoluene, dinitrotoluene, pentaerythritol tetranitrate,nitrostarch, trimethylolethane trinitrate, pentolite (a mixture of equalparts by weight of pentaerythritol tetranitrate and trinitrotoluene),cyclonite (RDX, cyclotrimethylene trinitramine), nitrocellulose,Composition B (a mixture of up to 60% TNT and l to 4% wax), Cyclotol(Composition B without the wax), tetryl, and smokeless powder such ascarbine ball powder.

The relative proportions of inorganic oxidizer, and of sensitizingexplosive, if used, will depend upon the sensitivity and explosive shockwave desired and these, again, are dependent upon the particular nitrateand sensitizing explosive. The proportions are not critical in any way.For optimum effect, the inorganic oxidizer is used in an amount withinthe range from about 10 to about 95%, and the sensitizing explosive canbe used in an amount within the range from 0 to about 40% by weight ofthe explosive composition. From about 25 to about 30% sensitizingexplosive and from about 50 to about 70% inorganic oxidizer give thebest results.

When the amount of sensitizing explosive is in the lower part of therange, or zero, a large booster is needed. At amounts beyond 40%, thesensitizing eflect falls off, and is no longer proportional to theamount of sensitizing explosive added, and therefore amounts beyond 40%are not usually used.

Sensitizing explosive of any particle size can be used. They can, forexample, be fine, coarse, or a blend of fine and coarse material. Somematerials, such as nitrostarch, are commercially available as veryfinely-divided powders, and so also is trinitrotoluene. Such availablematerials are employed to advantage, because in most cases they tend toproduce compositions having a greater explosive effect and sensitivity.

In addition to these materials, as has been indicated, the explosivecompositions of the invention can include, in addition to the plantmatter, an active metal fuel, usually, aluminum and preferably inparticulate form, for example aluminum powder, atomized aluminum,granular aluminum, or flake aluminum, which also serves as alubricity-improving agent. Aluminum can be used in the form of alloyssuch as aluminum-magnesium alloys. Other metal fuels can also be usedalone or in conjunction with the aluminum, such as, for example,magnesium, ferrosilicon, beryllium, and lithium, and nonmetal elementfuels, such as boron.

The metal fuel will usually comprise from about 0.5% to about 30% andpreferably from 0.5 to 20% of the composition; preferably at least ofthe metal fuel is aluminum.

In addition to the metal or nonmetal fuel, a carbonaceous fuel otherthan plant matter can be included, such as powdered coal, petroleum oil,and coke dust, and plant matter derivatives such as charcoal, bagasse,dextrine, starch, wood meal, flour bran, pecan meal, and similar nutshell meals.

The total carbonaceous fuel, including both plant matter andsupplemental carbonaceous fuel, will comprise from about 0.1 to about30% of the mixture. Of this, the plant matter is present in a majorproportion. Mixtures of metal and carbpnaceous fuels can be used, ifdesired.

An antacid, or other stabilizing material, such as zinc oxide, calciumcarbonate, aluminum oxide and sodium carbonate, can be added, ifdesired. Such ingredients will comprise from about 0.3 to about 2% ofthe mixture.

The consistency of the slurry for any given amount of liquid can beincreased to meet any need by using additional thickening agent. Thechoice of thickening agents will depend on the slurrying liquid. Forexample, where the slurrying medium is oil, noncarbonaceous inorganicoil thickeners useful in making thickened oils and greases such asfinely divided silica, available under the trade names Cab-O-Sil andLudox and silica aerogels, for example, Santocel ARD and Santocel C, andlike inorganic gelling agents, such as alumina, attapulgite andbentonite can be used. Other gelling agents are disclosed in US. PatentNos. 2,655,476 and 2,711,393. These are well known materials, and any ofthese known to the art can be used. The amount of such thickening agentwill de pend on the consistency desired, and usually will be within therange from 0 up to about 5%. Enough thickener can be added to gel theoil, and water-proofing agents such as are disclosed in US. Patent Nos.2,554,222, 2,655,476 and 2,711,393 can be incorporated as well, toimpart water resistance to the gelled slur When relatively largeproportions of water are present, additional water-soluble orwater-dispersible thickeners can be added, for example, such ascarboxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, guar gum, psyllium seedmucilage, and pregelatinized starches such as Hydroseal 3B. The amountof such thickening agent will depend on the consistency desired, andusually will be within the range from 0 to about 5%.

The explosive slurries of the invention contain enough liquid to act asa suspending medium for the solid in- The explosive slurry willordinarily be fired with the aid of a blasting cap or fuse, or a boostercharge, depending on sensitivity, and under high confinement.Combinations of the explosive slurry and a booster in the same containeror separately packaged as a composite in one container can be preparedand marketed as a comerally used. However, oil slurries have severaladvantages over aqueous slurries. The oil serves a dual function, notonly as a carbonaceous fuel but also as a suspending medium. It isconsiderably less volatile than water, and therefore there is lessdanger of the slurry drying out in storage.

Any oil can be used as the suspending medium. The petroleum-derivedhydrocarbon oils are readily available, and are preferred because oftheir low cost. The viscosity can range from very thin, such as 50 SSUat 100 F., to

quite heavy oils, up to about 1200 SSU at 100 F. Kerosene, fuel oil, 100SSU pa-raflin oil, light straw parafiin oil, SAE 10 to 50 lubricatingoils and hydraulic oils, are exemplary. Water may be added in a smallamount to the oil so that the slurry is sufficienty sensitive to fireunder the desired conditions. However, the amount of water added isalways less than will result in separation of oil or conversion of theslurry into an aqueous slurry, that is, a slurry with water as thesuspending medium.

Examples of slurries in which the particulate plant matter of theinvention can be used as a thickener and fuel include slurries of thetype described in U.S. Patent No. 2,930,685 to Cook and Farnam, patentedMarch 29, 1960, an example of which is composed of ammonium nitratesensitized with TNT and may contain powdered aluminum and is slurriedwith water. In addition, aqueous slurries such as are disclosed in US.Patent No. 3,083,126 to Griflith and Wells, patented March 26, 1963, canbe used. An example of the Griflith et a1. slurry is an aqueous slurrycontaining from'about 35 to about 75% inorganic nitrate and from about10 to about 30% nitrostarch slurried with from about 7 to about 50%water. US. Patent No. 3,216,872 to wells, patented November 9, 1965,discloses aqueous slurries containing, for example, from about 35 to 75inorganic nitrates of which from about 5 to about 95% is ammoniumnitrate, and from about 10 to about 30% of a fine grained explosivesensitizer such as dinitrotoluene, trinitrotoluene, pentaerythritoltetranitrate, pentolite, cyclonite, Composition B, cyclotol and tetryl,containing from about 7 to about 50% water may also be used herein.Furthermore, plant matter may be used as thickener and fuel in theaqueous explosive slurries disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,222,232 toSchwoyer, patented December 7, 1965. This explosive slurry is resistantto expansion upon exposure to elevated temperatures because of itsunusually low coefficient of expansion with temperature, and iscomprised of inorganic nitrates, aluminum, water and a small amount of athiosulfate or organic sulfonate.

In addition to aqueous slurried explosives, particulate plant matter canbe used in conjunction with oil-slurried explosives, such as aredisclosed in US. Patent No. 3,147,163 to Griflith and Wells, patentedSeptember 1, 1964. An example of such an oil slurried explosivecomprises -from about 35 to about 75 of inorganic nitrate oxidizer, fromabout 10 to about 35% of an explosive sensitizer and from about 7 toabout 50% oil.

The explosive mixture containing the particulate plant matter as thethickening agent and fuel is readily prepared by simple mixing of theingredients. The solid materials, including the oxidizer and sensitizerif present, and homogeneously disintegrated plant matter, and if desiredthe additional fuel and antacid, if any, would usually be mixed first toform a' homogeneous blend, and then suflicient water and/or oil, andwater and/or oil thickening agent, if required, would be added to bringthe mixture to the desired consistency.

bined blasting agent. Any conventional booster charge available in theart can be employed, of which pentaerythritol tetranitrate and pentoliteare exemplary. Blasting caps can be used as the booster when the slurryis sufliciently sensitive.

The following examples in the opinion of the invention represent thebest embodiments of the invention.

Example I Apples were homogeneously disintegrated to a pulp and used toprepare an explosive slurry using as the explosive components dry millnitrostarch and mill ammonium nitrate, and water. The first threematerials were mixed thoroughly, and then the water was added. Theproportions were as follows:

Ingredients: Parts by weight Dry mill nitrostarch 20.0 Mill ammoniumnitrate 50.0 Apple pulp 20.0 Guar gum 1.0 Water 9.0

Density 1.40 Ballistic pendulum value 9.50 Sensitivity in 2-inch pipe(g. pentolite) 50 Rate of detonation in 2-inch pipe (meters per second)3500 Exlample 2 An oil slurry was prepared using dry mill nitrostarch,ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate and water. The ammonium nitratecomprised 50% prills and 50%-30 mesh grained ammonium nitrate. Thesodium nitrate was 20 mesh. The three solid materials were mixedthoroughly. There was then added crushed oranges, homogeneouslydisintegrated to a pulp, as a thickener and fuel, and then water and oilwere added. The proportions of the final explosive slurry were asfollows:

Components: Parts by weight Dry mill nitrostarch 20.0 Ammonium nitrate44.6 Orange pulp 25.0 Modified guar gum 0.4 Water 5.0 SSU paralfin oil5.0

This mixture had a viscosity of about 300 cps.

The density, the ballistic pendulum, sensitivity in a 1 /2 inch pipe,and crater value were determined, with the following results:

Density 1.35 Ballistic pendulum value 10.00 Sensitivity in l /z-inchpipe (g. pentolite) 50 Rates of detonation were run in l /z-inch pipe.The rate was above 3600 meters per second.

Example 3 An aqueous slurry was prepared, composed of mill ammoniumnitrate and mill sodium nitrate, and finegrained trinitrotoluene, withrotten potatoes, homogeneously disintegrated to a mash, as fuel andthickening agent, plus water. The proportions of the final explosiveslurry were as follows:

This mixture had a viscosity of about 4000 cps. The comparative tests ofExample 1 gave the following results on this slurry:

Density 1.32 Ballistic pendulum value 10.00 Sensitivity in l /z-inchpipe (g. pentolite) 80 Rate of detonation in l /z-inch pipe (meters persecond) 3650 Examples 4 to 6 Three explosive mixtures were preparedusing ammonium nitrate prills, flake aluminum, coal, sugar beets,homogeneously distintegrated to a pulp, guar gum and water. Theproportions and properties'of the final explosive slurries were asfollows:

An aqueous slurry was prepared using ammonium nitrate prills. Theammonium nitrate was mixed thoroughly with potato mash, potatoes,homogeneously disintegrated to a pulp, as a thickener and fuel, and thencoal and guar gum were added. The proportions of the final explosiveslurry were as follows:

Components: Parts by weight Ammonium nit-rate 78.6 Potato mash 16.5 Coal4.7 Guar gum 0.2

This mixture had a thick but readily flowable con- ,sistency.

The density and the ballistic pendulum value were determined, with thefollowing results:

bore hole using a /2-lb. Pentolite primer with good explosive effect.

Examples 8 to 10 Three explosive slurries were prepared using ammoniumnitrate prills, alfalfa, guar gum and water. The proportions andproperties of the final explosive slurries were as follows:

Example N 0.

Ingredients 8 9 10 Parts by Weight Ammonium Nitrate 74. 70 74. 70Alfalfa FD 24. 0 Alfalfa KD- 0 Alfalfa, out. Guar Gum 3 0.3 Water 16.016. 0 6. 0 Density 1. 25 1. 25 1. 19 Ballistic Pendulum Value 8. 8 9. 19. 0

The compositions were thin flowable slurries.

Having regard to the foregoing disclosure, the following is claimed asthe inventive and patentable embodiments thereof:

1. An explosive slurry consisting essentially of an inorganic oxidizersalt, sufiicient particulate fibrous natural- 1y wet pulpy plant matterto oxygen-balance the oxidizer and to act as a thickening agent, andsufficient liquid to act as a suspending medium for the solidingredients.

2. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 1 in which the inorganicoxidizer is an inorganic nitrate.

3. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 2 in which the inorganicnitrate is at least one member selected from the group consisting ofammonium nitrate and alkali and alkaline earth metal nitrates.

4. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 1 in which the liquidsuspending medium is water.

5. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 1 in which the liquidsuspending medium is oil.

6. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 1 including in additionan explosive sensitizer which is a member selected from the groupconsisting of nitrostarch, trinitrotoluene, dinitrotoluene,pentaerythritol, tetranitrate, t'rimthylolethane trinitrate, pentolite,cyclonite, nitrocellulose, Composition B, cyclotol, tetryl, smokelesspowder and ball powder.

7. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 1 including in additiona metal fuel.

8. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 7 wherein the metal fuelis particulate aluminum.

9. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 1 including in additiona carbonaceous fuel.

10. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 1 including in additionto the plant matter another thickening agent.

11. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 10 in which theadditional thickening agent is guar gum.

12. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 1 wherein the plantmatter is apples.

13. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 12 wherein the plantmatter is sugar beets.

14. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 12 wherein the plantmatter is potatoes.

15. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 12 wherein the plantmatter is oranges.

16. An explosive slurry in accordance with claim 12 wherein the plantmatter is alfalfa.

17. An explosive slurry consisting essentially of from about 10 to aboutby weight of an inorganic oxidizer salt, from about 0.1 to about 30% byweight homogeneeously disintegrated fibrous naturally wet pulpy plantmatter, from about 0 to about 40% by weight of an explosive sensitizerselected from the group consisting of nitrostarch, trinitrotoluene,dinitrotoluene, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, trimethylolethanetrinitrate, pentolite, cyclonite, nitrocellulose, Composition B,cyclotol, tetryl, smoke less powder and ball powder, and suflicientliquid within 10 the range from about 7 to about 50% by weight to act 72,541,389 2/1951 Taylor 14960 X as a suspending medium for the solidingredients. 2,589,532 3/1952 Byers 149----38 X 2,732,800 1/1956 Coursen149-60 X References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 CARL D. QUARFORTH,Primary Examiner.

1,908,569 5/1933 Stoops 149-60 X BENJAMIN PADGETT, Examiner- 23561498/1944 14939 X S. I. LECHERT, IR., Assistant Examiner. 2,537,039 1/1951Downard 14960 X UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIONPatent No. 3,361,604 January 2, 1968 George L. Griffith It is herebycertified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiringcorrection and that the said Letters Patent should read as correctedbelow.

Column 5, line 23, for "sufficienty" read sufficiently i line 41, for"wells" read Wells column 7, line 29,

for "distintegrated" read disintegrated column 8, lines 57, S9, 61 and63, for the claim reference numeral "12",

each occurrence, read l Signed and sealed this 1st day of April 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, J r.

Attesting Officer

1. AN EXPLOSIVE SLURRY CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF AN INORGANIC OXIDIZERSALT, SUFFICIENT PARTICULATE FIBROUS NATURALLY WET PULPY PLANT MATTER TOOXYGEN-BALANCE THE OXIDIZER AND TO ACT AS A THICKENING AGENT, ANDSUFFICIENT LIQUID TO ACT AS A SUSPENDING MEDIUM FOR THE SOLIDINGREDIENTS.
 7. AN EXPLOSIVE SLURRY IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLAIM 1 INCLUDINGIN ADDITION A METAL FUEL.
 17. AN EXPLOSIVE SLURRY CONSISTING ESSENTIALLYOF FROM ABOUT 10 TO ABOUT 95% BY WEIGHT OF AN INORGANIC OXIDIZER SALT,FROM ABOUT 0.1 TO ABOUT 30% BY WEIGHT HOMOGENEEOUSLY DISINTEGRATEDFIBROUS NATURALLY WET PULPY PLANT MATTER, FROM ABOUT 0 TO ABOUT 40% BYWEIGHT OF AN EXPLOSIVE SENSITIZER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OFNITROSTARCH, TRINITROTOLUENE, DINITROTOLUENCE, LPENTAERYTHRITOL,TETRANITRATE, TRIMETHYLOLETHANE TRINITRATE, PENTOLITE, CYCLONITE,NITROCELLULOSE, COMPOSITION B, CYCLOTOL, TETRYL, SMOKELESS POWDER ANDBALL POWDER, AND SUFFICIENT LIQUID WITHIN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 7 TOABOUT 50% BY WEIGHT TO ACT AS A SUSPENDING MEDIUM FOR THE SOLIDINGREDIENTS.